This article was written by the NIPPON VISA & LIFE editorial team based on information from public organizations such as the national government and local governments. Rules and fees may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live.
In Japan, when a child is around 1 year 6 months old and 3 years old, the city, ward, town or village (市区町村) carries out a health checkup (健診, kenshin; a checkup of the child’s physical growth and development). Families with children of the target age receive a notice from the municipality. On the date written in the notice, bring your Maternal and Child Health Handbook (母子健康手帳, boshi kenko techo) and the questionnaire, and go to the venue, such as the health center (保健センター, hoken center).
For an overview of child-rearing procedures, see The Basics of Raising Children in Japan: Pregnancy and Birth Procedures, Child Allowance, Checkups and Vaccinations, Nursery Schools and Kindergartens, Elementary and Junior High School.
The Short Answer: How Infant and Toddler Checkups Work
- A notice arrives: When your child reaches the target age, the municipality sends you a personal notice. It often includes a questionnaire.
- Fill in the questionnaire: At home, answer the questions about how your child is doing.
- Go to the venue on the day: The venue is the municipality’s health center or a similar place. The date and time are written in the notice.
- Have the checkup: Your child’s height and weight are measured, a doctor examines them, they get a dental checkup, and you can consult about child-rearing.
- Have the results written in the Maternal and Child Health Handbook: The results are recorded in the handbook.
Under a law called the Maternal and Child Health Act (母子保健法), municipalities are required to carry out checkups for children aged 1 year 6 months and 3 years.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Maternal and Child Health Act” Articles 12 and 16, Children and Families Agency, “Initiatives on Infant and Toddler Health Checkups”)
Target Ages and Costs
| Checkup | Target children (Maternal and Child Health Act) | Main content |
|---|---|---|
| Checkup for children aged 1 year 6 months | From after 1 year 6 months until the child turns 2 | Physical growth, nutrition, teeth, movement, development of language and mind, vaccination status, etc. |
| Checkup for children aged 3 years | From after 3 years until the child turns 4 | In addition to the above, checks of the eyes, ears, nose and throat |
- What the law decides is that the checkup is done “between these ages”. The exact month when the notice arrives differs by municipality. Example: In Osaka City, the checkup for children aged 3 years is roughly around 3 years 6 months.
- Cost: Example: In Osaka City, both the 1 year 6 months and the 3 years checkups are free. At the venue, a fluoride treatment (applying fluoride to the teeth to prevent cavities) may be offered only to those who want it. Depending on the municipality, this treatment may cost money (example: at the 3 years checkup in Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, it is only for those who want it and costs 500 yen).
Some municipalities also offer checkups at other ages. For example, Yokohama City also carries out a checkup for children aged 4 months. The national government subsidizes municipalities for the costs of checkups for children aged 1 month and 5 years. To find out which checkups your municipality offers, ask the municipality’s maternal and child health (母子保健) office.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Maternal and Child Health Act” Articles 12 and 13, e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Ordinance for Enforcement of the Maternal and Child Health Act” Article 2, Children and Families Agency, “Initiatives on Infant and Toddler Health Checkups”, Osaka City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”, Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, “Information on the Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”, Aoba Ward, Yokohama City, “Infant and Toddler Health Checkups”)
What to Bring
What to bring differs by municipality and ward. Check the items listed in the notice you received. The following items are common in many municipalities.
| Item | 1 year 6 months checkup | 3 years checkup |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal and Child Health Handbook | Bring | Bring |
| Questionnaire (fill it in at home) | Bring | Bring |
| The toothbrush your child usually uses | Often required | Often required |
| Urine | Not needed | Often required |
| Towel, diapers, etc. | Check the notice | Check the notice |
Example: In Aoba Ward, Yokohama City, you bring the Maternal and Child Health Handbook, the questionnaire, a bath towel, spare diapers, a bag for used diapers, and a bag for your child’s shoes. For the 3 years checkup, you also bring urine collected that day in the container sent to you, and the application form for the urine test.
Example: In Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, the notice for the 3 years checkup includes, in addition to the health checkup form, questionnaires about allergies, eyes and ears. Fill them in at home and bring them.
How to Collect Urine
The 3 years checkup often includes a urine test. For example, Osaka City and Yokohama City ask you to bring, if possible, the first urine after your child wakes up in the morning. The container may arrive together with the notice.
(Source: Osaka City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 1 Year 6 Months”, Osaka City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”, Yokohama City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”, Aoba Ward, Yokohama City, “Infant and Toddler Health Checkups”, Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, “Information on the Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”)
What Happens on the Day
At the checkup, the following are mainly done. The order and content differ by venue.
- Body measurements: Height, weight, etc. are measured.
- Doctor’s examination: The doctor checks physical growth, nutrition, skin, movement, and development of the mind and language.
- Dental checkup: The teeth are checked for cavities, etc.
- Only at the 3 years checkup: Eye test, urine test, etc.
- Consultation: You can consult about child-rearing and meals (nutrition).
The time it takes also differs by municipality and ward. For example, Yokohama City’s page on the 3 years checkup says “roughly 60–90 minutes”, and Aoba Ward, Yokohama City’s page says “about 1.5–2 hours from reception”.
Depending on the results, you may be advised to have a more detailed examination or a consultation about development. In that case, contact the office written in the notice.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Ordinance for Enforcement of the Maternal and Child Health Act” Article 2, Osaka City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”, Yokohama City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”, Aoba Ward, Yokohama City, “Infant and Toddler Health Checkups”)
When You Have Trouble: Frequently Asked Questions
What If No Notice Arrives?
If you have just moved, for example, the notice may not reach you. Contact the health center of your municipality (depending on the municipality, it may have another name such as the “Child and Family Support Division” (こども家庭支援課, kodomo katei shienka)). Example: Nishi Ward, Nagoya City asks you to contact the health center if no notice arrives or if you have moved into the ward.
For procedures at the city office when you move, see Procedures at the City Office After You Arrive in Japan: The Basics of the Moving-in Notification, My Number, National Health Insurance, National Pension and Resident Tax.
What If We Cannot Go on the Scheduled Date?
You can often have the checkup on another day. How this is handled differs by municipality, so contact the office written in the notice.
Example: In Aoba Ward, Yokohama City, if the date in the notice is inconvenient, you can go on the next checkup date. The deadline is the day before the child’s 2nd birthday for the 1 year 6 months checkup, and the day before the child’s 4th birthday for the 3 years checkup. If you will be 2 months or more later than the date in the notice, contact the ward’s Child and Family Support Division.
What If My Child Has a Fever?
If your child has a fever, cough or rash, do not force yourself to go. Contact the municipality’s office and ask to change the date. For example, Aoba Ward, Yokohama City asks you not to come if your child has a fever or rash, or if a family member has a fever or cough, and to come on the next checkup date instead.
For how to see a doctor when your child is unwell, see How to See a Doctor in Japan: Choosing Between Hospitals and Clinics, What to Show at Reception, the Medical Questionnaire, Paying, and Getting Your Medicine at a Pharmacy.
What Happens If We Do Not Have the Checkup?
The checkup is a place to check your child’s growth and to consult about child-rearing. Families who have not had the checkup may be contacted by the municipality. Example: In Yokohama City, the Health and Welfare Center may contact you by phone or by visiting.
What If We Are Temporarily Staying in Another City?
Example: Yokohama City advises that if you want to have the checkup in another municipality, for example because you are staying at your parents’ home, first ask that municipality whether you can have it there, and if necessary, consult the Child and Family Support Division of the ward where you live.
What If I Am Worried About My Japanese?
If you do not understand the questions on the questionnaire, or you are worried about the explanations on the day, try consulting the health center before the checkup. How they can help differs by municipality.
I Also Want to Check Vaccinations
At the checkup, they also check whether your child has had vaccinations. Look at the vaccination records in the Maternal and Child Health Handbook beforehand. Children’s vaccinations are covered in Children’s Vaccinations in Japan: Free Routine Vaccinations, Types, Timing, How to Get Them and What to Bring.
(Source: Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, “Information on the Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”, Aoba Ward, Yokohama City, “Infant and Toddler Health Checkups”, Yokohama City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”, e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Ordinance for Enforcement of the Maternal and Child Health Act” Article 2)
How to Find Information for Your Municipality
- Search online for “(name of your municipality) 1歳6か月児健診” or “(name of your municipality) 3歳児健診”.
- Call your municipality’s health center or the office in charge of maternal and child health or child-rearing.
- The materials you received when you got the Maternal and Child Health Handbook may also include the checkup schedule.
Primary Sources Referenced in This Article
- e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Maternal and Child Health Act” (Articles 12, 13 and 16)
- e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Ordinance for Enforcement of the Maternal and Child Health Act” (Article 2)
- Children and Families Agency, “Initiatives on Infant and Toddler Health Checkups”
- Osaka City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 1 Year 6 Months”
- Osaka City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”
- Yokohama City, “Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”
- Aoba Ward, Yokohama City, “Infant and Toddler Health Checkups (4 Months, 1 Year 6 Months and 3 Years Checkups)”
- Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, “Information on the Health Checkup for Children Aged 3 Years”
This article is a translation of the original Japanese version.
